MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

GROUND RULES FOR LOCAL NEGOTIATIONS 

BETWEEN

DLA (Land and Maritime) 

AND

(AFGE Local 1148) 

Articles 5 and 38 of the Master Labor Agreement (MLA)

1. Representatives of the AFGE Local 1148, hereinafter referred to as the “Union,” and 

representatives of DLA Land and Maritime, hereinafter referred to as the “Employer” and 

jointly referred to as the “Parties.”

2. The parties agree that these ground rules shall govern the conduct of all local 

negotiations, in accordance with Articles 5 and 38 of the Master Labor Agreement 

(MLA), between the Union and DLA Land and Maritime during the term of the MLA. 

3. The negotiating teams may be comprised of up to 4 members from each party. 

4. Members of the Negotiating Teams, who are employees of DLA, will be on official time 

during negotiation sessions. Official time will be granted to Union bargaining team 

members for the time spent in face-to-face negotiations. If face-to-face negotiations are 

not feasible, then the parties will meet virtually.

5. The Union will bear all travel and per diem costs (to include rental vehicle(s)) for their 

negotiating team members as well as travel and per diem costs (to include rental 

vehicle(s)) for any third-party proceedings. 

6. The parties will exchange a list of full names, titles, e-mail addresses, and telephone 

numbers of their respective team members no later than one week from signature on these 

ground rules and prior to the date set for the commencement of negotiations. Although 

the parties may replace team members as necessary, both parties agree stability of the 

negotiating teams is important for effective negotiations. If a party must make a change 

to their initial list of team members, then that party must notify the other party in writing 

as soon as practicable. Such notification will include the full name, title, work address, email address, and telephone number of the new team member. 

7. Upon receipt of a proposed change, the President of Local 1148, or his/her designee, 

may, within 10 calendar days submit a demand to bargain. The demand to bargain will 

include the Union’s proposals. Failure to submit the demand to bargain and proposals 

within the 10 calendar day time period constitutes a waiver and the Employer may 

implement the change anytime thereafter. If the demand to bargain and negotiable 

proposals are not submitted within the allotted timeframe, then the Employer will 

proceed with the proposed change. 

8. Negotiations will be scheduled for three days each week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and 

Thursday, not to exceed eight (8) hours a day between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 
p.m. except as modified by mutual agreement between the parties. Short breaks and 

recesses during the negotiations will be by mutual consent. Lunch periods will be one 

hour. Negotiations will not be held on Federal holidays. The parties are expected to be 

punctual and remain at the table throughout bargaining. Negotiation sessions will be two 

weeks on, one week off, unless a change is mutually agreed to by the parties. 

9. The negotiations will be held in an agency provided local location, which will include 

caucus rooms. The Employer will not pay for offsite meeting space for negotiations. 

The parties encourage the use of electronic communications methods (e.g., video 

teleconferences, telephone conferences, office communicator) where appropriate and 

practicable for these negotiations and for pre-negotiations.

10. Either party may call caucuses. However, caucuses will be held to the shortest time 

necessary. If a caucus is likely to exceed 15 minutes, then the party calling the caucus 

will notify the other party of the situation and discuss whether there will be an extended 

caucus, recess, or other arrangement the caucusing party requests so that time is not 

wasted. The caucusing party will make every reasonable effort to avoid delaying the 

negotiations unnecessarily. The party calling the caucus will leave the negotiating table 

and caucus in the designated room. Extended caucus periods will not alter or extend the 

period allotted to complete negotiations. Official time will not be granted for Union 

caucuses that exceed one (1) hour. 

11. The parties will initial and date agreed-upon MOAs as they are completed. After 

initialing or signing the MOA, it will not be subject to further discussion unless there is 

mutual agreement to reopen the agreed-upon MOA.

12. There will be no official transcripts of the negotiations. Each party may take and maintain 

their own notes. No recording devices are permitted in the negotiations.

13. Agreements will be reduced to writing (i.e. , MOA, MOU). When an agreement is 

reached, it will be typed in final form and executed (signed and dated) by both parties 

without delay. All MOAs/MOUs will have an expiration date. The Employer will then 

forward all local agreements to HQ DLA and Council 169 for review and approval. 

14. This Memorandum of Agreement becomes effective upon execution and expires when 

the MLA expires. 

For the Union: For DLA:

_______________________________ ________________________________

Chief Negotiator Don Schulze, Chief Negotiator

Insert Union Name DLA, Land and Maritime

Date: __________________________ Date: __________________________